Pressure-regulator.



0. z. F RAZIER.

PRESSURE REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY4, 1918.

1,281,337. Patented. 0%.1 5, 191&

WZMMMM y L 7% which the figure cylindrical OR'VILLE Z. FRAZIEB, 0F

ELKI-IART, INDIANA,

BOYER, or nnxnnnr, INDIANA.

ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES F.

PRESSURE-REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get. 15, 1918.

Application filed May 4, 1918. Serial No. 232,578.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORVILLE Z. FRAZIER, a citizen of the United States, residin at Elkhart, in the county of Elkhart and tate of Indiana, have invented certain new an useful Improvements in Pressure-Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pressure regulators of the automatic type designed to regulate the pressure, and render uniform and steady the flow of gas between a source of generation or storage under pressure and the agent of consumption, such as a light ing planter a gas engine. My present invention has been designed 'more particu larly for use in association with an internal combustion engine using acetylene gas for fuel on which I have filed applications for Letters Patent, Serial No. 208,340, filed December 22, 1917 and Serial No. 211,062,

filed January9, 1918; but the same-is obviously capable of being used advantageously in other relations wherever an automatic gas pressure regulator is necessary or desirable. I

The'main object of the invention is to provide an-improved pressureregulator of simple and inexpensive construction that shall be reliable and sensitive in its automatic control of the gas flowing therethrough, capable of easy adjustment without disassembling-to any desired pressure, and that shall insure a steady and uniform flow of gas regardless of variations and fluctuations in the pressure at the source. This and other objects and advantageswhich will be apparent from the following description I attain by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing in is an axial section with artsbroken out, of the complete device. Referring to the drawing, 5 designates a cylindrical casing having-at one end a gastight cover 6 through whichjisled an eduction pipe 7 and at its other end a hollow cap or closure 8 formed with an annular flange 9 that is secured to the adj acent-end of the body 5 as by screws 10. Disposed transversely of the cylindrical body 5, and secured to or integral with the walls thereof, isca bridge member 11 formed with transversepassages 12 that connect the spaces on opposite. sides thereof, Secured to centrally at the bridge member 11 low cap 8, whichlatter vbetween the pistons sition to the gas pressure ton 26." In order is a gas inlet pipe 13 that extends through the end closure 8 and is formed with an axial duct 14; extending therethrough and communicating at one end with the gas supply pipe 15 leading, from a gas supply tank or generator, thepipe 15 being preferably equipped with a shut-0E valve 16.

The inlet duct 14 approximately midway of its length is formed with a valve seat 17, with which cooperates a needle valve 18, the stem 19 of which has a relatively long bearing in the upper portion of the inlet duct 14, which is somewhat enlarged above valve seat 17. On the upper end of the valve stem 19 is a cross-bar 20 that is connected by rods 21 passing through and guided in the bridge member 11 to a piston. 22 that has a gas-tight fit by means of piston rings 23 with the cylindrical wall 5 of the casing, and also forms a gas-tight fit with the gas inlet pipe 13 by means of a packed joint 2 1. The space within the casing above the piston 21 constitutes a pressure chamber, of which the piston 21 forms a movable end wall; and the gas inlet duct let communicates with this pressure chamber by one or more lateral branch ducts 25. Slidably fitting the cylinder 5 of the cas ing at or near its lower end is a second piston 26, through which is formed one or more vent passages 27 opening into the holin turn, is open to the atmosphere at 28. Confined endwise 21 and 26 is a com- 29 that acts in oppoin the pres-: sure chamber above the piston 21. The piston 26 is, in turn, backed by a hollow screw 30 that is threaded through the cap 8 and at its inner end abuts against. the pisto lock the screw 30 securely against accidental turning, the-outer end of said screw is chambered to receive male and female split rings 31 and 32, respectively, that are. forced into engagement by a gland 33 threaded into ofthe adjusting screw 30.v

Between the piston 21 and the bridge member 11, and surrounding the pipe 13 is a compression spring 341 which acts in opposition to the spring ward movement of the piston 21 when the pressure is off, Between the bridge member 11 and thecross-bar 20 is preferably inpression spring the chamber 29 and limits the upto steady the tension of spring 34, but may be omitted if desired. pp

The operation of the device-will be read ily apparent from the foregoing 'descr'1p tion of its structure. Gas from the supply tank or generator flows through the pipe 15 and the duct 14% past theneedle valve 18 and through the branch ducts 25 into the pressure chamber, and thence through the pipe 7 to the point of use. lVhen the pressure increases the piston 22 is forced downwardly against the resistance of spring '29, carrying the valve 18 with it and thereby throttling the gas and reducing its pressure. "On the other hand, when the pressure of the inflowing gas falls, its. pressure o'nfthe piston "22 is reduced, and the spring 29 "causes said piston to rise, thereby enlarging the area of the passage at the needle valve seat,and automatically restoring the pressure in the pressure chamber. By employing a throttle valve of the needle valve type, and giving to this valve a relatively long bearing above the valve seat, the movement of the valve is limited strictly to a movement in the axial direction, and a very fine and uniform throttling effect is obtained. By manipulating the adjusting nut 30, the tension of the spring 29 is increased or decreased, thereby varying the pressure of the gas idelivered by the regulator. By means of the expansion rings 31 and 32 and the follower gland 38 the adjusting nut 30 is frictionally locked to the rigid inlet pipe 13, so as to prevent accidental yielding of the abutment piston 26 with consequent accidental variations in the pressure. The vent openings 27 and 28 obviously prevent alternate compression and rarefac'tion of the air in the space between pistons '22 and 26 under the fluctuations of piston 22, and maintain atmospheric pressure at all times on the lower side of the latter.

It will be manifest to those skilled in the art that the structure herein shown and described may be modified in respect to details Without involving any change in its substantial character and principle "of operation. Hence, I do not limitthe invention to the exact structure shown for purposes of illu's- 'tra'tion, but reserve all such variationsand modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1. In a pressure regulator, "the combination of a casing, a piston therein forming a movable wall of e a pressure chamber, a spring acting on said piston in opposition to the pressure in said chamber, a pipe extending through said piston and formed with an axial gas inlet jduct having a valve-seat and a lateral branch duet beyond said valve-seat leading into said chamber, and a needlevalve 'sl-idably mounted in said axial duct and cooperating with said valve seat, said needle valve being connected to and actuated by said piston.

In a pressure reg ulatoig'the combination of a 'cylindrical casing, a piston therein torn-ling a movable end wall of a pressure chamber, a spring acting on said piston in opposition to the pressure in said chamber, a bridge member connecting the side walls of said chamber, a pipe extending through said piston and connected at its inner end to said bridge member, said pipe having an axial gas inlet duct formed with a valveseat and a lateral branch duct leading into said pressure chamber between said piston and said bridge member, a needl'e valve coop'eratingavith said valve seat and having a stem s'lidably mounted and guided in said axial duct beyond said lateral branch duct, and actuating connections between said piston and valve stem.

3. In a pressure regulator, the combination of a cylindrical casing, a piston therein forming a movable end wall of a pressure chamber, a spring acting on said piston in opposition to the pressure in said chamber, a bridge member connecting the "side walls 01 said chamber, a pipe extending through said piston and connected at its, inner end to said bridge member, said pipehavingan axial gas inlet duct formed with a valve-seat and a lateral branch duct leading into said pressure chamberbetween said piston and said bridge member, a needle-valve 006pcra ting with said valve-seat and having a stem 's'lidably mounted and guided in said axial duct beyond said lateral branch duct, a cross-bar on the outer end of said valvestem, and rods connecting said cross-bar and piston. and passing through and guided by said bridge 'I'nenrber.

4. In a pressure regulator, the combination of a cylindrical casing, a piston there in forming a movable end wall of a pressure chamber, a spring acting on said piston in oppositionto the pressure in said chamber, a bridge member "connecting the side walls of said chamber, a pipe extending through said piston and conne'cted'at its innerfend to said bridge member, said pipe having an axial gas inlet duct formed with a valve-seat and a lateral branchduct leading into said pressure chamber between said piston and said bridge member, a eompres sionfsprin between said bridge member and piston opposing said *fi'r'stnamed spring, a needle valve codpera ting with said valve-seat and having "a stem slidably mounted and guided in said axial duct beyond said lateral branch duct, and actuating connections between said piston and valve stem.

'5. In a pressure regulator, the combina tion of a cylindrical "casing, a piston therein forming a "movable end wall-of a pressure chamber, a spring acting on said piston in opposition to the pressure in said chamber.

a bridge member connect'ng the side walls chamber, a valve connected to and actuated of said chamber, a pipe extending through by said first-named piston controlling the said piston and connected at its inner end inflow of gas through said pipe, a compresto said bridge member, said pipe having an sion spring confined between said pistons,

axial gas inlet duct formed with a valve-seat and an adjusting screw threaded through and a lateral branch duct leading into said an end wall of said casing and bearing pressure chamber between said piston and against said second piston whereby, through said bridge member, a compression spring the latter, to vary the force of said spring.

between said bridge member and piston op- 7. In a pressure regulator, the combinaposing said first-named spring, a needle tion of a casing, a piston therein forming a valve cooperating with said valve-seat and movable wall of a pressure chamber, a sechaving a stem slidably mounted and guided ond piston in said casin forming a springin said axial duct beyond said lateral branch abutment member and termed with a vent duct, a cross-bar on the outer end of said opening, a gas inlet pipe extending through Valve stem, a compression spring between said pistons into said chamber, a valve consaid cross-bar and bridge member, and rods nected to and actuated by said first-named connecting said cross-bar and piston and .piston controlling the inflow. of gas through passing through and guided by said bridge said pipe, a compression spring surrounding member. said pipe and confined between said pis- 6. In a pressure regulator, the combinatons, a hollow adjusting screw surrounding tion of a casing, a piston therein forming said pipe and threaded through an end wall a movable wall of a pressure chamber, a secof said casing and bearing at its inner end 0nd piston in said casing forming a springagainst said second piston, and means for abutment member and having a vent openlocking said adjusting screw in any set poing formed therethrough, a gas inlet pipe sition.

extending through said pistons into said 0. Z. FRAZIER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. G. 

